Resilient driving-gear.



I. M. WAUGH.

IIESILIENT DRIVING GEAR.

APPIICATION FILED JAN. 2- 19M.

Patented 10%. I

1917. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. M. WMGH.

RESILIENT DRIVING GEAR. APPLICATION mm mm. m4.

SHEETS-SHEET 2- K y K WEE JZiffdS/fi 077 any "IT-W I 4/ Pawn Mil 10645.4, 19W;

J. M. WAUGH.

RESIDENT DRIVING GEAR. APPucmou mu) mmv 2. m4.

Lmmmmw Patent ed Dee. 4,1191%.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- J. M. W'AUGH.

RESILIEM'DRIVING GEAR.

APPLICATION mm mm. 2. 19M.

mum m 4, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JAMES MILTON WAUGH, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

RESILIENT DRIVING-GEAR.

. Specification of Letters Fateut.

Patented Dec. 4, limit.

Application filed Janu y 2, 1915. Serial No. 64.

I To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES M. WAUGH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Driving-Gears; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description of the same, reference being. had to'the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form .a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of driving mechanism by which power may be transmitted in a yieldable manner and yet'sufficiently positive to obviate the uneven application of the drive to the driven elements heretofore existing as a defect in these types of constructions. The starting torque necessary to set a machine or other driven mechanism into operation is generally far in excess of the power required in the normal operation thereof, and consequently it is desirable to interpose a yieldable mechanism between the driving and the driven mechanisms, to permit a gradual application of the heavy starting load to the driving mechanism.

In this invention the driving efiect is gained through the use of resilient friction elements which permit a yielding application of the drive and yet prevent an oscillating or diflerential movement between the driving and driven elements.

lit is an object therefore. of this invention to construct a. device wherein driving and driven elements are connected to one an- .other through the intermediation of resilient friction elements which act to yieldably absorbsudden applications ofpower transmitted between said elements subsequently has resuming normal conditions without a re-.

coil edect, and thereafter operating to all intents and purposes as rigid elements in an even and positive transmission of power.

It is also an object of this invention to construct a device wherein driving and driven elements are associated withone another in a manner to permit relative movement therebetween, and with a frictional absorption mechanism associated with said elements to absorb sudden applications of load preventing excessive recoil therefrom.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct a power driving mechanismv embodying driving and driven elements associated with one another and relatively movable within prescribed limits acting as a compensating device to absorb variations in the applications of load or drive to the parts. i

It is finally an object of this invention to construct a compensating mechanism of the class described readily adaptable to various types of machines, and in particular to the motor driven axles of a car.

The invention .(in a preferred forni) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

-Figure1 is a conventional top plan view of an electric motor car truck equipped with a device embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on .line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing, with the car wheel in elevation, a modlfied form of device.

Fig. 5 is a section taken-on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, of another form of mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through another modification, showing theshaft or axle in elevation.

Fig. 9 is a detail section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail section taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is afragmentary detail section taken on line 11 -11 of Fig. 8.

on line Fig. 12 is a side elevation of another ing journaled therein axles 2 and 3, respectively, with wheels 4, secured thereon, of

which the axle 3, is the driving axle for the truck. Mounted upon said truck 1, adjacent the driving axle 3, is an electric motor: 5,

- the annulus 8.

' and laid KJournaled upon the hub portion 10, of said end plate member is a gear 11, disposed between said annulus 8, and plate member 9 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. A plurality of are shaped. recesses 12, extend entirely through said gear 11, transversely thereof therewithin at each end of each of said recesses and extending transversely through the same at each side thereof, are groups of resilient friction plates 13. Each group comprises a plurality of similarly constructed plates lying closely upon one another, the number and area of which may depend entirely upon .the load to be borne thereby. Accordingly the annulus member 8, and the end plate member 9, are provided withrecesses adapted to receive projecting ends of said friction plates therein, so that a driving connection between said members and the gear and consequently the wheel of the car is established through said resilient plates Also disposed within the recesses 12, of the gear 11,- are abutment block members which consist of a curved web of metal 14, having formed integrally on each end there: of abutment heads 15, the outer convex surfaces of which contact the groups of plates, the'convexity being illustrated by the shading in Fig. 3. The length of said abutment heads 15, is equal to or slightly less than the width of the gear 11, so that said abutment heads do not project beyond the surfaces of the gear.

In the modified form of device illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, a single recessed flange plate member 16, is rigidly secured to the axle 3, adjacent the wheel 4, and journaled upon the hub portion 17, of said plate memher is a gear 18. A flange 19, is provided on the outer periphery of said plate member 16.

v and pro ects into a suitable recess provided therefor in the gear 18, and extending between said flange 19, and the hub 17, are curved radially disposed webs or arms 20, formed integral therewith, thus forming a spider, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. Within the recesses formed-by the curved arms 20, of said spider plate are radially disposed said gear and projecting beyond groups of resilient friction plates 21, and the gear 18, is provided with integral abutment members 22, which project into the recesses of said spider plate between the respective groups of friction plates therein with the convex surfaces of said abutment members bearing against the innermost of each plate of said group of friction plates. For the purpose of retaining the gear 18, associated with the spider plate member 16, a fiat ring 23, is fitted over the flush surfaces of said gear and spider element at one side thereof and bolts 24, extend therethrough and into the gear 18.

In the modified form of device illustrated in Fig. 7, I have illustrated an'arrangement somewhat similar to the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the exception that in place of the annulus member 8, secured to the car wheel, I have shown an end plate 25, provided with a small hub portion 26, which, together with the hub portion 10, of' the end plate member 9, is keyed upon an enlarged portion of the axle 3.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, I have shown a double gear construction adapted for heavy duty service, and for this purpose two gears, one denoted by the reference numeral 27, and the other by the reference numeral 28, are journaled on the axle or shaft, as the case may be, of the mechanism to be driven. Keyed upon said axle or shaft 29, is' a long cylinder 30, provided with a plurality of recesses 31, ex-' tending longitudinally therethrough, the opposite inner walls of said recesses being convex, as clearly shown by the shading in Fig. 10. Laid within said recesses 31, are groups of resilient friction plates 32, which are of a length to project beyond the ends of said cylindrical member and into recesses 33, formed in said respective gears 27 and 28. As clearly shown in Fig. 11, the Walls of said recesses 33, in the respective gears are convergent so that the plates, seating in the ends thereof are permitted a certain amount of movement when the same are stressed by the curved abutment walls of the recesses 31.

In Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, I have illustrated another modified form of device wherein a gear 34, is journaled upon the abutting head portion 35, of end plate members 36, which may be rigidly secured to one another in any suitable manner. The gear 34, is provided with a plurality of concentrically arranged are shaped recesses 37, extending entirely and transversely therethrough, and the respective end'plate members 36, have pockets 38, formed therein which register with one another to form one complete pocket in which a group of resilient friction plates 39, is disposed. The walls of said respective pocket members 38, are reinforced by webs 40 and 4L1, respectively,

which are formed integral therewith and merge into the plate members 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 13.- Said end plate members are so assembled with the gear 34, that the pocket members 38, andrespective reinforcing Webs 40 and 41, therefor, extend through the recesses 37 ,provided in the ear, and the convex surfaced abutment mem ers 42, thus provided in the gear between the respective recesses 37, therein, are disposed between the respective pairs of pocket members 38, of the end plate members and bear against the innermost plate of each of said groups of friction plates 39. Other recesses 43, are provided in the gear 34, merely to lighten the same.

The operation is as follows:

Referring to Figs. 1,2, and 3, when the current is switched on to the motor 5, the gear 11, is of course immediately driven from the driving pinion 7, of the motor, but owing to the interposition of the groups of friction plates 13, between the gear and the annulus and end plate members 8 and 9, respectively, which are rigidly connected to the axle and car wheels respectively, the latter are not immediately set in motion, due to the stressing of the plates, so that the motor is thus allowed to start its rotation before the entire load comes thereon. I This overcomes to a great extent the enormous starting torque ordinarily required where a positive connection exists between the mechanism to be driven and the driving means. This peculiar type of resilient mechanism for initially yieldably transmitting the drive is possessed of the inherent quality preventing recoil action of the plates occurring, and thus setting up in the driving mechanism an oscillating or vibratory efiect which would be clearly undesirable. This is due to the fact that the plates lying flat against one another as they do, exert a great frictional resistance to a stressing movement, and consequently when the driven mechanism has been set in movement, and is moving at the same rate of uniform speed as thedriving means the plates gradually resume. their normal position, the great friction existing between the plates preventing a sudden recoil movement taking place. The operation of the elements in the various modifications illustrated is exactly similar.

It is apparent that any sudden application of load either in starting or after the mechanism is in operation must necessarily be transmitted to the prime mover or driving'means yieldably, so that the excessive load can have no disastrous efiect thereon.

I am aware that various details of construction may be varied through a Wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class combination with a driving gear having a plurality of concentrically disposed curved recesses therethrough, of driven means ar-. ranged on each side of said driving gear, and a plurality of groups of resilient friction plates arranged transversely through recesses in said driving gear with the ends of the plates of each of said groups seated in the driven means on each side of said gear to effect a resilient driving connection between said gear and driven means.

2. In a device of the class described, a driving gear having a plurality of curved concentrically arranged recesses therethrough, a plurality of groups of resilient friction plates extending transversely through the respective recesses-in said gear at each end thereof, abutment members disposed in the recesses in. said gear between each of said groups of plates, and driven members arranged on each side of said gear and having recesses therein in which the projecting ends of said respective plates of each of said groups are seated to effect a resilient driving connection between said gear and said driven members.

3. A device of the class described comprising'driving and driven means, one of described, the

said means having a plurality of concenaresilient driving connection between said respeotive means.

4. A device of the class described comprising a gear having recesses therethrough, driven members disposed on each side of said gear, one of said members having a hub extension on which said gear is journaled, and resilient means arranged transversely through the recesses in said gear parallel the axis "thereof projecting on each side thereof and seated in said driven members to eifect a resilient driving connection between said gear and said driven members.

5. In a resilient driving mechanism of the class described, rigidly connected driven members, a driving means disposed therebetween and journaled on one thereof, said I gear, recesses therein, abutment members associated with said gear, resilient plates disposed in the recesses in said gear between said abutment members, and driven means associated disposed on each side of said gear and engaging the opposite ends of each of said plates afiording a yieldable driving connection between said gear and said means. V r

7. In a device of the class described the combination with driven means, of a driv-- ing gear associated therewith, said gear having a plurality of recesses therein, abutment members insaid recesses, and a plurality of groups of friction plates projecting through said recesses and co-acting with said abutment members to afford a yieldable driving connection between said gear and said means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v JAMES MILTON WAUGH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr., FRANK K. HUnsoN, 

